


sarah castellanos: unofficial super soldier matchmaker

by Ookami_Hime



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes and the 21st Century, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M, Mutual Pining, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 05:37:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11201550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ookami_Hime/pseuds/Ookami_Hime
Summary: @unicornweenie: momma was diagnosed with #breastcancer. running 4 her in a marathon but in desperate need of training buddy. :( hey @steverogers u down? ;)@jamesbarnes: time and place and i'll make sure he shows@unicornweenie: wtf omg @jamesbarnes r u for real?@jamesbarnes: @unicornweenie last i checked i'm real. hold up. lemme message you. don't need the paparazzi breathing down our necks ;P





	sarah castellanos: unofficial super soldier matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

  * For [silentwalrus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silentwalrus/gifts).



> After some technical difficulties last night and this morning, I finally got the amazing artwork up! I've been gushing over how absolutely cute it is ever since I was blessed with the opportunity to write an accompanying fic! This was so much fun to write and I hope that the fic can live up to how amazing the art is! I really hope that you enjoy it! <3

This may come as a surprise to some people—Tony—but Steve actually really loves social media. Some people—Tony…and Natasha but she's a lot better about it now than she was before—don't realize that, time in the ice not included, he's actually only physically about thirty-three so that technically makes him a millennial. Kind of. Anyway, it also seems to slip some minds—Tony…unless they're out in the field and then he suddenly remembers—that Steve's considered one of the best tacticians of his time, so of course he picked up how to use a cell phone, tablet, computer, laptop, and any other piece of smart machinery fairly quickly. The only reason he was so blown away was because, to him, all of a sudden the world was so much more connected than he ever could've dreamed of.

 

Okay, he can maybe understand the reason why everyone thinks he's so scared of all this new fancy machinery. He doesn't have that much of an actual presence on social media. The lack of presence isn't really his fault, by the way, because he has this tiny problem where he tries to reply to anyone and everyone that mentions him in their tweets or posts. Seriously, who knew that Captain America would've become so popular on social media? Absolutely no one expected it—especially not the team. After his popularity boom, SHIELD said he could have a private account but Steve knows it wouldn't take much time before the public sniffed it out.

 

Now, what absolutely no one expected was for _Bucky_ to take to social media as well as he did. Except Steve. Steve wasn't shocked one bit because James Buchanan Barnes has always been a nerd, no matter what the decade is. It depends on his mood, but Bucky can either not pay any attention to the haters or can leave one with such severe burns that no one else tries to mess with him for a little while. Steve can do that too, of course, but it's more frowned upon when Captain America does it which is absolutely no fun.

 

Steve tries to keep up with Bucky on social media because Steve has to live vicariously through him now, but there's a no cell phone policy on missions now—don't ask—and their latest mission took so much more time than anyone anticipated. Steve hasn't touched his phone for basically a week and honestly doesn't plan to for at least another day or two because all he wants to do is shower, eat, sleep, and then sleep some more.

 

Bucky, however, has other plans for him apparently because as soon as the team’s in New York airspace, Bucky sends a picture of his metal hand wrapped around a Starbucks cup. There’s another cup next to his that literally has Steve’s name written all over it and Steve, who’s been on a diet of bland protein bars and sports drinks, starts to foam at the mouth over it. Then, Bucky sends his location which is a spot in Central Park and tacks on an ominous: **be there or else**. Steve assumes the _or else_ is that he’ll be Starbucks-less and, damn it, Bucky knows Steve’s weakness for extremely sugary drinks. In his defense, Doctor Cho said that a killer sweet tooth is to be expected with such an enhanced metabolism.

 

A quick stop at the base, a shower, and hop into some casual clothes later, Steve shows up at the park and expects an empty seat next to Bucky and a Frappuccino. Which, okay, Bucky and the Frappuccino _are_ there, but there’s someone else with Bucky—a woman. She’s tiny compared to Bucky…but who isn’t these days? She’s also very, very pretty with her dyed silver hair that has streaks of the colors of the rainbow in it. Steve also notices that she has a Starbucks cup in her hand, but it has water instead. Like Steve said, his melting drink is there, and it’s between Bucky and the woman. The conversation the two of them are having stops when the woman’s eyes land on Steve and widen comically. She clutches her cup so hard that Steve can hear the plastic squeak in protest.

 

“Steve,” Bucky croons and beams at Steve—it’s a shit-eating grin, Steve would like to add. “Welcome back, pal. I want you to meet your new workout buddy,” he chirps and motions toward the woman next to him. Steve holds back the smile when her head snaps to Bucky and she looks almost betrayed. “What?” Bucky asks her innocently. “You’re the one that asked.”

 

“Do you know how many people ask a celebrity for a favor and it actually _happens_?”

 

“Steve’s not a celebrity,” Bucky shoots back.

 

“Maybe to you,” the woman mutters under her breath and sips at her water.

 

Bucky doesn’t pay her any attention and looks back to Steve. “Steve, meet Sarah, your new workout buddy,” he reiterates and the woman—Sarah, covers her face with a hand. “I’ll tell you about it later. You have—hey, how long can you do today?” Bucky suddenly asks and pokes Sarah’s upper arm.

 

“Like an hour?”

 

His brows raise. “You want to work out with Captain America and you only have an hour to spare?”

 

“I honestly thought you would turn out to be a troll, okay? So, I’m sorry that I went ahead and made plans with my mom today because I thought that all that would come out of today was a trip to Starbucks!”

 

“Guess we should make the most out of this then, huh?” Steve interrupts and smiles encouragingly at her. It’s definitely a good thing that he decided to wear sweatpants today rather than something nicer that would’ve chaffed if he ran in them. “Steve Rogers.” He sticks his hand out to her.

 

“Sarah Castellanos,” she meekly replies and shakes his hand. “Uh, okay, this is real.” She takes a few deep breaths. He understands. He doesn’t think he’s a celebrity and Bucky doesn’t, but the rest of the world pretty much does. “Okay, let me check my something and then we can go.” She hikes up her shirt a little bit so she can tug what looks like a little cell phone off the waistline of her pants and click around on it for a few seconds. “We’re good,” she says more to herself and then looks up at Steve. “Sorry, I had to check my—”

 

“Blood sugar,” he finishes for her with a nod. “Yeah, that’s a lot fancier than what my mom had to use. I wish we had that kind of treatment around. It would’ve made life a little bit easier for her.” He steps to the side and motions toward the trail. “Ladies first.”

 

“Pardon my language, but your ma, God rest her soul, had to raise your troublemaking ass. I think her diabetes was the least of her concerns.”

 

Sarah, who tried to set up a pace, would’ve almost tripped and landed flat on her face if Steve didn’t catch her arm before she went down. She composed herself and then started to walk down the trail and when Steve was sure she couldn’t see, he flipped Bucky the bird before he went to catch up with Sarah.

 

“I saw that,” Sarah teases when Steve’s at her side. After a second, where she bites her bottom lip, she blurts, “I’m sorry that Sergeant Barnes dragged you all the way here, Captain Rogers. Like I said, I didn’t think he was a real person and even when he sent me that selfie—and then when we actually met up in Starbucks, I didn’t think he was actually _serious_. I literally saw you on the news yesterday where you were kicking ass and taking names and you shouldn’t have to bother with me—”

 

First and foremost, Steve corrects Sarah gently with, “Bucky and Steve.” Her mouth snaps shut and she nods hesitantly. “How’d you and Bucky meet? Probably Twitter? I haven’t had my phone so I haven’t been able to check my feed. But I assume it’s Twitter. A lot of people think Bucky’s a troll—he is, by the way, in every kinda way.”

 

Sarah chews on her bottom lip some more and he’s halfway to saying _you don’t have to tell me_ when she quietly explains, “My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago. She’s supported me ever since we found out about my diabetes, so I want to show her it’s both ways. There’s a breast cancer awareness march in a few months. I _jokingly_ asked if you’d be my training buddy and then Se— _Bucky_ replied and here we are.”

 

Steve raises his hand and she looks at him incredulously which makes him smile sheepishly before he lowers it. “I’m sure there are cooler celebrities out there you could’ve asked. On our team alone there’s so much cooler—Sam. _Sam_ is the best workout partner a person could ask for. Why’d you pick me?”

 

“We started the World War Two section in my history class. I’m pretty sure every history professor sets out a whole _week_ just to talk about you. And I’m pretty sure my professor is in love with you so we were assigned your biography and I saw that your mom died of tuberculosis and—you’re so down to Earth, too. You _and_ Bucky. Did you know he messaged me so we could work out a private place because he didn’t want the paparazzi bothering me?”

 

“Have you met the paparazzi?” Steve jokes before he comes to a stop. He turns to face Sarah and pours as much sincerity into his expression as he can. “Thank you, Sarah. I’m honored you’d think of me.” Her mouth drops, but his mind’s elsewhere now. “I hope you can work with my schedule.” No. No, that’s not fair to Sarah at all. “Actually, I could stand to spend some more time here at home. Sam or Nat can take the mantle for a few months.”

 

“Oh my God, no, Steve, you don’t—”

 

“Like I said, the paparazzi are a bunch of assholes. I can’t really spend much time out in public anymore unless it’s at the crack of dawn and Bucky says not everyone loves to wake up as early as me ‘n Sam. Oh! I can set you up with a pass for the base so we can have someplace more private. We have an indoor and outdoor track if you appreciate fresh air like I do.”

 

Sarah covers her face with her hands and moans miserably. “ _Steve!_ ” She even waves her hands to catch his attention. “Seriously. This,” she waves towards him and herself a few times, “here is a once in a lifetime moment that I’ll never ever forget. You _really_ don’t have to do this for me. There are so many more people that deserve a chance to work out with you more than I do—”

 

“Like your mom? Because I’d be honored to meet her, too.”

 

“Yes! No! I mean, yes, she deserves the chance more than I do, but—” she looks very close to a mental breakdown which isn't exactly not normal for people who know him and this is probably the best time to put on his _aw shucks_ face to make her less mad at him. “ _Why would you do this for me_?”

 

“Like I said, it’d be an honor. And, between me and you, I have a soft spot for people with the name Sarah.”

 

 

Today was more of a walk and talk than actual exercise, but Steve promises Sarah it won't be so easy the next time they meet up. Before she heads out to meet up with her mom for her cancer treatment, they loop back around to meet up with Bucky and Sarah almost puts them both on their asses with her hug/tackle. Once she disappears, Bucky shoves a brand new, not melted drink in Steve's face, and Steve almost rips Bucky's hand off when he snatches it away.

 

"Need someone to come pick you up or can you make the walk home, old man?" Bucky taunts when Steve plops down on the bench and takes a sip of his drink.

 

"Jesus, Buck, let me catch my breath first, why don't yah? And let a man enjoy his drink while you're at it."

 

Bucky snorts and drops down next to Steve on the bench. Neither of them say much after that. They sit and people watch. When Steve's nearly at the bottom of his cup, Bucky speaks up, "Thanks." Steve pulls his straw out so he can lick at the whip cream and…Bucky snaps his gaze away for some reason. He clears his throat and Steve can hear his metal arm whir. "I know you haven't been stateside more than a few hours and you would've rather been in bed by now, but you showed up anyway. I creeped on Sarah's profile after she mentioned you in that tweet and couldn't help myself."

 

"Aw, you know I don't mind, Bucky. Sarah's good people. Guess it must be a thing about anyone named Sarah, huh?" Steve starts to wonder exactly how many random people on Twitter Bucky's helped out on the downlow. How many times has Bucky went out because _I need to learn how to be around people, I can't be cooped up in our apartment like a princess in her castle all the time_ but it was actually because he was on secret missions like today? Steve's not really worried about his safety because Bucky hasn't suddenly lost what skill Hydra pounded into him, but Steve does wish Bucky wouldn't keep secrets from him. "Next time, be up front about it, okay?" He claps Bucky on the shoulder. "Using Starbucks as bait is cruelty."

 

"Well, my ma did say that the quickest way to a man's heart was through his stomach."

 

Steve rolls his eyes. "Starbucks or no, I would've helped out. My drink was only an added bonus." He elbows Bucky in the ribs. "You know I'd do anything for you, Bucky."

 

"Yeah, Steve," Bucky says quietly. "I know you would." Steve’s about to ask Bucky what’s up since he’s suddenly so serious, but then he sucks in a deep breath and rises to his feet. “You ready to leave or you need a few more hours for that breather?”

 

Steve hates it when Bucky tries to divert the subject, but making Bucky talk about his problems is like…well, a lot like Bucky trying to get Steve to talk about his own problems. So, it’s basically like pulling teeth and it won’t happen unless one of them will let it. Steve’s about to quip back after his last sip but then he chokes on it when he watches Bucky pull out some _rollerblades from under the bench_.

 

“What the hell?” Steve manages to ask through his choking and laughter. “What the _hell_ , Bucky?”

 

“I’m going home in style,” Bucky defends innocently as he starts to replace his shoes with them.

 

“When did you have time to _get those_? Where did you manage to hide those? How did I not _notice them_?”

 

“I’m a spy,” Bucky declares like that’s an explanation in and of itself…which it is, Steve guesses.

 

 

Later, when Steve actually does actually need to catch his breath—who knew that Bucky could be _that_ fast on _rollerblades_ —he can hear Bucky on the phone with Sam. Bucky can’t put much of a word in because of how loud Sam cackles. “I can’t believe you actually _did it_. Please tell me you have a video, Barnes.”

 

“It’s blowing up Twitter right now. Guess I’ll be getting the fail whale before you, Wilson.”

 

“Y’know what, Barnes? I ain’t even mad.”

 

\---

 

Steve never wants to be _that_ person. He absolutely one-hundred percent respects each and every person on the base that works beside their team and would put his life on the line for them. But _holy shit_ , does anyone know how to work at this base _without_ his approval? No wonder he chose to take missions rather than sit around and throw out orders. If one more person comes into his office, he thinks he may slam the door shut in their faces—

 

Okay, but not Bucky. He can’t slam the door shut in Bucky’s face, especially when murder’s written all over it, plain as day. Steve’s a little behind schedule today and he didn’t realize exactly how behind he is until Sarah and Bucky walk into the office unannounced. Steve sinks down a little in his seat when Bucky locks the door behind them and then bores holes into Steve’s head. He doesn’t know how Sarah can be so calm and _smile_ the way she is. Bucky can be one really scary person, okay?

 

“ _Steve_ ,” Bucky starts slowly and then takes a deep breath. “You haven’t ate a bite today, have yah?” Oh. Shit. Steve debates whether he should lie or not—no, definitely shouldn’t take that risk. Steve shakes his head and keeps his trap shut. “Of course you haven’t.” Steve decides he can open his mouth, only to say sorry, but then Bucky _hurls_ a wrapped sandwich at Steve’s head and thank God Steve uses his shield so much because that sub would’ve hurt like hell if it made contact. “That’s your favorite, by the way,” Bucky says, sickly sweet. “Should’ve left the pickle off since you made the lady wait on your ass.”

 

Sarah shakes her head and actually looks at Steve like _she’s_ sorry that she had to wait on him and Bucky wants to make sure Steve remembers his manners. “Bucky, I told you it was okay. It was worth the wait. _The_ Black Widow picked me up and I watched her _and_ Scarlet Witch practice and have I mentioned how incredibly gay I am?”

 

Bucky gasps dramatically. “ _No_. You? Really? I had no clue.”

 

Steve blinks in surprise. “You haven’t mentioned it to me—” he pauses for a second and then it sinks in that Bucky actually knew that. “Hey, how many dates have you two been on since last week?”

 

“We text,” Bucky replies with a shrug. He narrows his eyes at Steve. “Do you not stalk people’s profiles?”

 

“No, Bucky, because I’m not paranoid like you and Natasha are.”

 

“Bored,” Bucky corrects snippily. “Bored is the actual word you’re lookin’ for, pal.”

 

Sarah clears her throat to catch their attention and he notices how she clutches the straps of her purse a little harder than she did before. “Sorry. I probably should’ve told you before. My girlfriend, Marissa, actually dropped me off at the gates.”

 

“She could’ve stayed,” both Steve and Bucky inform her at the same time.

 

The tension suddenly bleeds out of Sarah’s body and Steve dumbly realizes that she was prepared for a remark about her sexuality. Steve can’t say he blames her. There have been many a people before her and a lot more after her who think that because he lived in the forties it means that he’s automatically conservative. People never seem to remember that Steve was the child of an Irish woman fresh off the boat, that Steve was sick for most of his life because he’s technically only had the serum less than a decade, and that Steve the later years of his adult life in a really poor but really liberal part of Brooklyn.

 

“I’m sure she would’ve loved to, but she’s the people person between us so I sent her to fundraise for Mama. Oh, and she’s getting shirt sizes for everyone walking for Mama which reminds me—I wanted to ask and you can say no because you’ve already done _so much_ , but would you want to walk with me—uh, well, with everyone—do you want to do the breast cancer marathon?”

 

Steve laughs nervously because, “I…thought that was the plan?”

 

Sarah’s cheeks darken. “Bucky said that _he’d_ be there, but I didn’t want to _assume_ —”

 

“Even if he didn’t want to come, I would’ve dragged his ass with me.”

 

“Great,” Sarah blurts and beams. “Great!” She walks over to Steve’s desk and snatches a pen from off his desk. “Okay, in that case,” she starts slowly as she digs around in her purse for something to write on, “I need your shirt size too, Steve.”

 

“Small.”

 

“Large,” Bucky butts in and Sarah raises a brow at him. Bucky, however, eyes Steve and Steve scowls at him right back. “You’ll be running with men, women, and children, Rogers. You’re gonna wear a shirt that _fits_ you.”

 

Steve squirms uncomfortably and grumbles under his breath, “All my shirts _do_ fit me.”

 

“Just because you can fit it over your ridiculously huge shoulders doesn’t mean you should be wearing it.”

 

“Well, what about you?”

 

“What about me?”

 

“If I wear smalls then you have to be wearing mediums! Have you seen your arms in your shirts lately, Buck?”

 

“You lookin’?”

 

Steve fumbles then and tries to stutter out an excuse but Sarah starts to giggle and then explodes into laughter. It’s so completely unexpected that Steve and Bucky stop arguing and stare at her in confusion instead. She tries to stop and covers her mouth with one hand while she waves them off with the other. “I’m, uh,” she laughs hysterically one more time and moves toward the door. “I need to change and, uh, call Marissa. I’ll be right back.”

 

 

Sarah needs to warm up before they really start to run, so she and Steve start to walk around the outdoor track. Thankfully, it’s later in the day, so there aren’t many recruits around to bother them. Bucky makes some excuse as to why he doesn’t join them and when Steve and Sarah are far enough away from Bucky, Steve complains, “For someone that organized this whole shindig, you’d think he could spare the time to work out with us.”

 

“Yeah, like either of you need to work out on the daily.”

 

“You’d be surprised. He needs to keep on a certain amount of muscle mass or else his metal arm will _really_ start to mess with his body.”

 

Sarah studies Steve for a few seconds before she points out, “You two really know a lot about each other. Very _intimate_ details.”

 

“Yes?” Again, people tend to forget that, “We’ve been together our whole lives. We’ve pretty much lived with each other since we were allowed to be out on our own. You spend that much time with a guy and you learn a lot about him.”

 

“Sure, sure,” but she doesn’t sound very convinced and what exactly she needs to be convinced about, he doesn’t really know?

 

“I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.” She hums in confusion. “About your…um, sexuality.” _That_ didn’t sound much better, either. “I don’t care. I know I probably sound like an ass, but—jeez, I’ll shut up now before I shove any more of my foot in my mouth.”

 

Sarah smiles. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it, Steve—same way you don’t mean anything by it now. I’m sure it’s probably still hard for you to…know how to navigate it? Talk about it? I’m no expert on early twentieth century culture, but I’m pretty sure sexuality wasn’t talked about a lot.”

 

“People talked about it, but not in _polite_ conversation.” He makes sure to use physical quotations with his fingers for the word _polite_.

 

“I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have,” she suggests hesitantly. “You scratch my back and I scratch yours? I’m bisexual, by the way. I know I said I’m gay and I am, in a way, but I identify as bisexual. I like men and women. I hope this doesn’t confuse you.”

 

“I got it,” Steve reassures her. He pauses. “So, men _and_ women?” She nods. “How’d…you…y’know—how did _know_ , know?” He’s not sure why his stomach twists nervously when he asks that. Probably because he doesn’t want to offend her. He shouldn’t probe so much. It’s not Sarah’s responsibility to teach him about this stuff…even if she not even a minute ago offered to teach him.

 

Sarah rubs the back of her neck and laughs nervously. “It isn’t the same for everyone, no shit. It actually hit me when I was at Coney Island. I was third wheel with a friend and her boyfriend and they were lovey-dovey and…I saw them kiss and was jealous? Not of her with him but of him with her and—it made sense. It should’ve made sense sooner. When I was, I don’t know, eleven or twelve? Anyway, I _practiced_ kissing with my best friend at the time but I always wanted to practice more than I maybe should have.”

 

It comes at Steve like a sucker punch to the stomach. Sarah actually stops to watch him worriedly and it’s probably because of the sound he makes. There’s no way to describe the sound. Exactly like there’s no way to describe the way Steve suddenly feels. Relief? Guilt? What the fuck? Oh shit? Honestly, there’s probably a nice mixture of every emotion in the book.

 

“Steve?”

 

Steve tries to wave her concern away, but he knows whatever expression is on his face definitely doesn’t help his case. He can’t speak. He doesn’t even know what he’d say if he could. How could he tell her: _hey what you described? That’s what happened to me, too._ He could actually say it like that, but—no. How can he be sure? Research. Yeah. He needs to research.

 

“I’m fine,” he squeaks.

 

Because karma is… _karma_ , the kind of root of Steve’s newfound problem quite literally barrels at him. On a scooter. With a Starbucks cup in his hand. Dressed in—is _that Steve’s ghost emoji tank-top_? “On your right,” Bucky shouts as he shoots past them while, at the same time, Steve yells, “Hey!” How the fuck can he go so fast on these weird types of—oh. Super soldier serum. “Bucky, that’s my _shirt_!”

 

For now, Steve has to compartmentalize his problems. He’ll deal with this current problem which is his best friend who stole one of his favorite shirts and went to Starbucks without him—even if it was to buy that nasty green tea Frappuccino—and is hell bent on embarrassing him by way of outrunning him on weird types of transportation because he wants to beat Steve’s other best friend on social media.

 

 

What makes absolute perfect sense to Steve’s brain is to think about his brand new problem at _two in the morning_ and by perfect sense he means no sense but his brain does it anyway.

 

Confession time: Steve _has_ looked at Bucky. More than he ever wanted to admit to. God only knows how many pieces of papers Steve’s filled up with Bucky’s portrait. _That_ , for the art, that was how Steve sometimes tried to reason with himself over why his eyes always lingered over Bucky. Even today, with webs of scars on his shoulder blade, with stretch marks from where he’s grown in size so much over the decades, and Bucky Barnes is still a work of art, but this isn’t an art class. His sketches back then and today aren’t for homework. There are plenty of people Steve knows that deserve a spot in a museum—Sam’s featured in his sketchbook, too. Jesus, and _Thor_. That! That, too! It isn’t Bucky and Bucky alone that makes him do a double-take.

 

The more time went on and his eyes never stopped lingering, the more nervous Steve got. The more confused, too.

 

As it would turn out, kids experiment with each other across all generations! He should tell Sarah about it the next time he sees her. Her face would be priceless, he bets, when she hears about how Bucky had busted down Steve’s door one day and declared that Nancy from a few blocks down wanted to go on a date with him. Bucky’s problem, though, was that he’d never kissed a dame before but he wasn’t about to mess it up on his very first date and who should he practice with? Steve! They practiced and practiced a little more and because it’s two in the morning Steve can do another late night confession which is that their practice sessions didn’t end with just kissing. Anyway, Bucky went on his date, the first of many, and exactly like Sarah said, Steve still longed to practice with Bucky some more.

 

Time passed but Steve’s eyes never stopped lingering and Steve got more and more nervous. More and more confused, too. Don’t even start him on the war when he met Peggy. He _loved_ Peggy—make no mistake about that. With how she swept him off his feet, he was sure that the confusion was over, but then Bucky showed back up and that made things worse. Better but also worse. Because here he had a man and a woman and Steve realizes how that he loved them both.

 

“Fuck.”

 

The truth of the matter is that since Steve woke up, he’s learned that the world isn’t nearly as black and white as it used to be. It has always been that way, he realizes, but it wasn’t as…obvious as it is now. Or maybe it was and he didn’t take care to notice. Okay. The point is that maybe _Steve_ himself isn’t as black and white as he used to be. There are shades of gray in every single person, him included. Then again, there have always been shades of gray when it comes to Bucky, haven’t there? Steve risked dishonorable discharge—no, he risked _death_ to save Bucky. He always had and always will risk death to save Bucky and people don’t do that for someone that’s only their best pal, do they?

 

Steve is the most oblivious person on the face of the Earth.

 

Not only is Steve bisexual, but he’s also been in love with one James Buchanan Barnes since he was sixteen-years-old.

 

“ _Fuck_.”

 

\---

 

“I think I’m bisexual,” Steve confesses when Natasha pins him on the mat.

 

“I know.”

 

“You _know_?”

 

“Steve, you’ve stared at Thor’s arms and ass so much that your head’s almost been blown off. Of course I knew you’re not straight. I only wish you realized this sooner because there were so many nice boys in D.C that I could’ve set you up with.”

 

In Steve’s defense, anyone with _eyes_ would stare at Thor’s arms and ass a lot. “Okay.” He takes a breath and knocks his head against the mat once before he declares, “I think I’m in love with Bucky.”

 

“I know that, too. Why do you think I didn’t try to set you up with anyone else after we found Barnes?”

 

Steve moans miserably. How many people _know about this_? “Is it that obvious?”

 

“To anyone that really knows you,” Natasha confirms and pats him on the cheek in sympathy.

 

 

Plan B—Sam.

 

“I’m bisexual.”

 

“I care about you but I don’t care about your pride the way Natasha does, so I’ll go ahead and tell you that I already knew that. She told me to act surprised.” Steve resists the incredible urge to stand up and slam his head against a hard surface for a few hours. “Hey, I do want you to know that I’m honored you told me before Barnes.”

 

“How do you know I haven’t told Bucky?” Steve retorts petulantly.

 

“Dude, I love you, but you’re kind of a wuss so there’s no way you’ve told him yet because you’re afraid he’d disown you or something, right?”

 

“ _No_ ,” Steve lies. “But how do you know he wouldn’t? Or that he wouldn’t—”

 

“You’ve already proven that you wouldn’t know obvious if it hit you upside the head, but, Steve, man, Barnes is head over heels for you.”

 

“What?” Natasha and Sam are the best friends a person could ask for, but they don’t have to _humor_ Steve this way. There’s no way that _Bucky_ , who killed with the ladies—but it is actually possible, isn’t it? Steve literally had a crisis not even a whole day ago about his previously confusing attraction to men and women. Who’s to say Bucky hasn’t felt that way, either? No. No, he can’t do this to himself. “No, he’s not.”

 

“Go ask Wanda.”

 

 

“Just because I have helped Bucky with what Hydra’s done to his mind doesn’t mean I would betray his confidence that way,” Wanda explains primly and her eyes narrow at Sam who smartly darts out of the kitchen. “Besides, it isn’t like I can read his mind _exactly_. I can only read his fears.” She sips at her cup of coffee. “All I can tell you is that I know fear, Steve, and it isn’t healthy to live with this fear of the unknown forever. Tell Bucky how you feel.” It isn’t that simple. It _isn’t that simple_. “Bucky cares very much about you, Steve. Even if he doesn’t love you romantically, he does love you so much that he wouldn’t throw away your friendship because you decided to tell him how you feel.”

 

 

“FRIDAY, make sure that Rhodey never knows he won the bet.” Tony throws a wrench back on one of the tables and has what Steve can only describe as a temper tantrum. “I was so sure that you and Howard had some secret love affair because that man was way too obsessed with you but Rhodey put his horse on you and Barnes. I mean, I’m happy you didn’t bump uglies with my old man, but this makes Rhodey right. That _hurts_ to say, okay? It _hurts_.”

 

Steve has no idea why he even went to Tony. 

 

 

Frantic doesn’t even come close to what Steve is when he picks Sarah up at the entrance of the base the next time she visits. His ma is about to roll over in her grave, but Steve can’t even manage a decent greeting to the woman with her that’s no doubt Marissa. All Steve does is exclaim, “This is all your fault.”

 

Marissa throws her hands up in the air and scowls at Sarah. “I finally get to meet Captain America and he hates you! What did you do?”

 

“Nothing!” Sarah hisses. “…I think…”

 

“I think I’m bisexual and I’m in love with Bucky.”

 

Both Sarah and Marissa stare at Steve and then turn to look at each other. “I _told you_!” Sarah waves toward Steve while she proudly tells Marissa, “I told you they were in love with each other! I helped Captain America have his gay epiphany! I should put that on a resume.”

 

“Help,” Steve pleads weakly.

 

“Marissa can help,” Sarah offers. “Her pep talks are killer.”

 

Marissa clears her throat and stands tall as she walks the short distance to stand in front of him. This woman has absolutely no fear and shows no indication of being as star struck as Sarah had been. Marissa plasters on a determined expression and then points at Steve. "You are Captain America.”

 

"I am."

 

“You’ve went toe-to-toe with _Nazis_ and _aliens_ and guess what? You _won_.”

 

"I _did_."

 

“Now _this_? This is so much easier to deal with. This isn’t war. This is _love_. Were you scared when you stared down those fascist fuckers?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then why are you scared now? This is something to be happy about, you got that? I don’t know what you plan to do now, but you better be happy about it.”

 

“I want to tell him, but what if he doesn’t feel the same way—”

 

Sarah cuts in with, “Steve, anyone that has a Twitter account can see how much you two love each other. Actually, anyone with a _history book_ can see how much you love each other. The romantic tension between you two is so thick that I can cut it with a butter knife. But like Marissa said, this is your best friend, okay? This is Bucky Barnes. This is the coolest person in the world and you’ve probably loved him forever.”

 

“I don’t think that’s helping, Sarah,” Marissa whispers.

 

“Yes, he’s my best friend and _that’s the problem_. I know that he probably wouldn’t throw away a whole lifetime of friendship because of some uncomfortable declaration of love, but I _don’t want to make him uncomfortable_. And how does everyone know it’ll go so smooth? The kinda world we were raised in, you were supposed to sock a man in the jaw if he even looked at you in a _funny way_ —” he groans in frustration. “I don’t know what’s more confusing right now! The fact that I like men _and_ women or the fact that I’m in love with Bucky!”

 

Steve hadn’t even noticed the crackling noise get closer and closer. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have known what it was. It isn’t until a body literally flies past him and lands in the grass on the side of the road that he notices there was even anyone coming up behind him. Thank God he has great teammates who watch his back because his lack of paying attention would’ve gotten him killed by now. Of course, embarrassment is what’s about to kill him since that person in the grass is none other than Bucky.

 

Steve almost trips over the skateboard that Bucky had been on in his mad scramble to make sure that Bucky’s okay. “Bucky, shit, are you okay? What happened? Did you _trip_?”

 

“Yeah, I tripped!” Bucky starts to wipe violently at the drink on his shirt that he must’ve landed on and his sunglasses are snapped in half a few feet away from them. “A man hears his best friend say he’s in love with him and, yeah, I tripped.”

 

Steve outright whines. ‘Look, Bucky—”

 

“Did you mean it?”

 

Bucky is completely serious so Steve should be serious, too. They’re both grown ass men and can deal with this like the big boys that they are. “Yeah, Bucky,” he answers truthfully. “I meant it.”

 

“Oh, thank God.”

 

Steve’s halfway to asking what that means when Bucky reaches forward, grabs a fistful of Steve’s shirt, and tugs him down into the grass so he can crush their lips together.


End file.
